Flood and combustion air vent

Abstract

A flood and combustion air vent includes a louvered panel supporting a rodent screen for placement across an opening in a wall or door of an enclosed space in a building. The apertures in the louvered panel and rodent screen are sized to accommodate ingress and egress of flood water at a rate of water flow sufficient to prevent destructive hydrostatic forces from acting upon either the exterior or interior surfaces of the wall. Additionally, the rodent screen will prevent intrusion of rodents, vermin and reptiles into the enclosed space.

1. A combination of a flood and combustion air vent and a garage door, said combination comprising:
 a) a louvered panel having an exterior surface and in interior surface; 
 b) a rodent screen having a plurality of apertures and located adjacent the interior surface of said louvered panel; 
 c) a frame for attaching said louvered panel and said rodent screen across an opening in a panel of said garage door, said frame including a fascia extending about the opening in said garage door panel and adapted to be in contact with the exterior surface of said garage door panel surrounding the opening and in contact with the peripheral exterior surface of said louvered panel and a backing for bearing against the interior surface of said garage door panel generally coincident with said fascia and for bearing against said rodent screen to urge said rodent screen adjacent the interior surface of said louvered panel; and 
 d) means for securing said backing to said fascia. 
 
     
     
       2. The combination as set forth in  claim 1  whereas each aperture of said plurality of apertures in said rodent screen has a first dimension of at least one quarter inch and a second dimension of no more than one half inch. 
     
     
       3. The combination as set forth in  claim 1  where said rodent screen is of a sheet of metal. 
     
     
       4. The combination as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said plurality of apertures comprise groups of apertures. 
     
     
       5. The combination as set forth in  claim 4  wherein each aperture of said groups of apertures has a first dimension of at least one quarter inch and a second dimension of no more than one half inch. 
     
     
       6. The combination as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said louvered panel and said rodent screen are of metal and including at least one weld for securing said louvered panel with said rodent screen. 
     
     
       7. The combination as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said louvered panel and said rodent screen are of metal and including at least one toggle lock for securing said louvered panel with said rodent screen. 
     
     
       8. The combination as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said louvered panel includes bent over edges defining a wall and wherein said rodent screen is dimensional to nest within and adjacent said wall. 
     
     
       9. The combination as set forth in  claim 1  including double stick tape located intermediate said louvered panel and said rodent screen. 
     
     
       10. The combination as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the opening defined by each louver of said louvered panel has a dimension of not less than one quarter inch. 
     
     
       11. A combination of a flood and combustion air vent and a block wall having an opening in said block wall, said combination comprising:
 a) a louvered panel having an interior surface and an exterior surface and a peripheral wall; 
 b) a rodent screen disposed adjacent the interior surface of said louvered panel and within the dimensions of said peripheral wall, said rodent screen including a plurality of apertures, each aperture of said plurality of apertures having one dimension of no less than one quarter inch and a second dimension of no more than one half inch; 
 c) means for retaining said rodent screen adjacent said louvered panel; 
 d) a brace disposed within the opening in said block wall; and 
 e) attachment means for securing said louvered panel and said rodent screen with said brace to locate said louvered panel and said rodent screen across and covering the opening in said block wall. 
 
     
     
       12. The combination as set forth in  claim 11  wherein said louvered panel is of a rectangular configuration having a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis and wherein the louvers of said louvered panel are aligned with the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
       13. The combination as set forth in  claim 11  wherein said louvered panel is of a rectangular configuration having a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis and wherein the louvers of said louvered panel are aligned with the lateral axis. 
     
     
       14. A method for accommodating a flow of flood water into and out of an opening in an enclosure in a building while preventing intrusion of rodents, vermin and reptiles, said method comprising the steps of:
 a) attaching with screws a louvered panel having a lipped perimeter to the enclosure about the opening and across the opening; 
 b) prior to exercise said steps of attaching, placing a rodent screen adjacent the interior surface of the louvered panel within the lipped perimeter of the louvered panel to extend across and cover the opening, the rodent screen including a plurality of apertures, each of the apertures having a first dimension of not less than one quarter inch and a second dimension of not more than one half inch; and 
 c) retaining the rodent screen adjacent the louvered panel to restrain the force of flood water from dislodging the rodent screen from a location adjacent the louvered panel. 
 
     
     
       15. The method as set forth in  claim 14  wherein the step of retaining comprises the step of welding the rodent screen with the louvered panel. 
     
     
       16. The method as set forth in  claim 14  wherein the step of retaining comprises the step of securing the rodent screen to the louvered panel with toggle locks. 
     
     
       17. The method as set forth in  claim 14  including the step of placing a brace within the opening and the step of securing the louvered panel and the rodent screen to the brace.